Replace The Timing Belt On A Honda Beat - A Step-By-Step Guide

Hello All,

I recently undertook replacing the timing belt, water pump, and associated pulley bearings and documented the entire process in the hopes of creating a definitive step-by-step guide on how to do the procedure WITHOUT dropping the engine or using special tools. I took lots of photos and went through the process of removing everything that is in the way to make the job as easy as possible. I modeled the guide after the style of an IFixIt guide, though I do not call out each individual tool to use or bolt size. When working through the reassembly process I do call out all torque values from the service manual.

After looking at the process once the guide came together, it seems certain that the job can be done in an afternoon for most people. Barring any rusted or broken bolts (or other components), the process is rather straight forward and should go pretty quickly if things are done in the correct order. Only a few bolts will be a bit more difficult to access but overall, there should be no problems getting things apart or back together.

To maintain the usability of the guide I created a PDF with full resolution photos that aren't compressed. I have stored (and will maintain in perpetuity) the PDF on my Google Drive, a direct link to which is listed below. Feel free to share with anyone and everyone that speaks English and needs to do this job.

Hopefully this guide will be good enough to become a sticky since it should be detailed enough that anyone can perform the service themselves.

Joshua a big, big thank you from me - I used your guide to do the belts, tensioner and water pump (I also replaced the distributor at the same time). I owe you a beer if you are ever in London.
A couple of observations:

I had to get a special tool to lock the crank pulley. Even with heat and an impact gun it wasn't shifting.

I found I could get the engine mount out in one piece... a small shortcut

I bought an extra long 14mm spanner to get to some of those tight bolts

I didn't mess around getting tdc. I used another trick - three small blobs of paint on the old belt whilst in situ on the crank and cam pulley. Then, add blobs to the new belt - that way can immediately see both top and bottom of the engine are in time and you haven't missed a tooth.

Lastly the locating pins on my water pump stayed with the block mounting, so it was simply a case of offering up the new one and bolting it in. Bonus!